WEBVTT
TOM: FOR TWO YEARS CONSTRUCTION
WORKERS HAVE LABORED AWAY ON
THIS ARENA, MAKING IT THE STATE
OF THE ART BUILDING THAT IT IS.
TO PASS THE TIME SOME LIKED TO
SING, ONE OF THEM HAS PIPES SO
SWEET, THE TEAM INVITED HIM ONTO
THE COURT TOMORROW TO SING THE
NATIONAL ANTHE
>> ♪ WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR A
WHILE NOW ♪
THIS IS THE VIDEO THAT GOT
TOMTHIS IS THE VIDEO THAT GOT
CHRISTOPHER INFANTINO FIRST
: DISCOVERED.
>> ♪ I WILL STAY WITH YOU WHEN
NO ONE ELSE IS AROUND ♪
TOM FIRST SINGING HIS WEDDING
: SONG WHILE THE GOLDEN ONE
CENTER WAS STILL UNDER
CONSTRUCTION TOMORROW HIS VOICE
WILL CHRISTEN THE FINISHED
ARENA.
THE SACRAMENTO ELECTRICIAN SPENT
COUNTLESS HOURS WIRING AND
LIGHTING THE BUILDING, WHICH
GETS TIRESOME.
I TRY TO KEEP THE MOOD LIGHT A
>>I TRY TO KEEP THE MOOD LIGHT A
LOT OF TIMES.
I DO THAT BY SINGING, MOSTLY FOR
MY SANITY.
TOM OTHER WORKERS LIKED WHAT
: THEY HEARD, AND EVENTUALLY GOT
HIM ON CAMERA.
>> WORD KIND OF SPREAD AROUND
THE JOB SITE, GUYS WERE TALKING
ABOUT, I SAW YOUR VIDEO.
TOM HIS NOTES CARRIED BEYOND THE
: JOB SITE.
KINGS EXECUTIVES HEARD TOO AND
IN AUGUST INVITED HIM TO SING
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR THE HOME
OPENER, WITH HIS WIFE AND TWIN
BOYS JOINING HIM ON THE COURT.
>> I COULDN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER
WAY TO DO THIS.
THAT'S SO AWESOME TO BE ABLE TO
JUST WALK OUT.
TOM HE ISN'T FEELING NERVOUS
: YET, BUT KNOWS THAT CAN CHANGE
QUICKLY UNDER THE LIGHTS.
I'M NERVOUS ABOUT WALKING UP AND
>>I'M NERVOUS ABOUT WALKING UP
AND GETTING THAT LUMP LAST
MINUTE BUT I THINK I'LL BE FINE.
TOM ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS THE
: KINGS COULD HAVE GONE WITH
JUST ABOUT ANYONE, INFANTINO
SAYS IT SPEAKS VOLUMES THEY'RE
OPTING TO GO WITH THIS HOMETOWN
ELECTRICIAN.
>> IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE
KINGS, TO BRING IT RIGHT BACK
DOWN TO THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE
THAT WORK HERE AND THE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ON THE
PROJECT MAKING THIS BUILDING
POSSIBLE FOR THE REST OF THE
COMMUNITY.
TOM:
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
WONDERING, WHAT'S HE SOUND LIKE
SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
WE ASKED HIM TO PERFORM IT FOR
US BUT HE SAYS HE WANTS IT TO BE
A SURPRISE TOMORROW HE'S BEEN
PRACTICING THOUGH HE SAYS LOTS
OF SINGING IN THE SHOWER.

Electrician Christopher Infantino spent countless hours hooking up the wiring and lighting at the Golden One Center, but it’s his voice most people will remember about him.
After working on the new arena for two years, the Sacramento Kings invited Infantino back to sing the national anthem at center court before the regular season home opener.
“It says a lot about the Kings to bring it right back down to the city and the people that work here -- and the people that have actually been on the project making this building possible for the rest of the city,” Infantino said.
In some ways, he’s been preparing for this job the whole time. Never shy about singing, Infantino often showed off his pipes at work.
“I try to keep the mood light a lot of times,” he said. “I do that by singing, mostly for my sanity. But, I’ll walk up and bring other guys into it, just to throw them off guard -- get a laugh out of them.”
His coworkers liked what they heard and eventually got him on camera. They recorded a video of him singing his wedding song, "Stay with You" by John Legend.
“Word kind of spread around the job site, guys were talking about ‘Oh, I saw your video,’” Infantino said.
But, it wasn’t just Infantino’s coworkers who were impressed. The video made its way to team executives, who invited him to sing the national anthem. His wife and twin boys will also join him on the court during the performance.
“I couldn’t think of any other way to do this,” he said. “I mean, that’s so awesome to be able to just walk out and have both of my boys by my hand.”
Infantino grew up going to church with his grandmother in Iowa, who pushed him to sing in the choir and perform in front of the congregation.
He once sung the national anthem in front of 2,200 people at a high school football game and doesn’t think the crowd of 17,500 will make him nervous.
“I’m more nervous about getting nervous,” he said.
Returning to the finished building fills Infantino with a sense of pride. He was there when it was a dirt pit. Now, he gets to see it as a Sacramento gem.
As for getting it right, he’s been practicing -- mainly in the shower.
"On a night as big as this, the Kings could have gone with just about anyone," Infantino said. "That they’re willing to give a local electrician a shot, speaks volumes."

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) —

Electrician Christopher Infantino spent countless hours hooking up the wiring and lighting at the Golden One Center, but it’s his voice most people will remember about him.

After working on the new arena for two years, the Sacramento Kings invited Infantino back to sing the national anthem at center court before the regular season home opener.

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“It says a lot about the Kings to bring it right back down to the city and the people that work here -- and the people that have actually been on the project making this building possible for the rest of the city,” Infantino said.

In some ways, he’s been preparing for this job the whole time. Never shy about singing, Infantino often showed off his pipes at work.

“I try to keep the mood light a lot of times,” he said. “I do that by singing, mostly for my sanity. But, I’ll walk up and bring other guys into it, just to throw them off guard -- get a laugh out of them.”

“Word kind of spread around the job site, guys were talking about ‘Oh, I saw your video,’” Infantino said.

But, it wasn’t just Infantino’s coworkers who were impressed. The video made its way to team executives, who invited him to sing the national anthem. His wife and twin boys will also join him on the court during the performance.

“I couldn’t think of any other way to do this,” he said. “I mean, that’s so awesome to be able to just walk out and have both of my boys by my hand.”

Infantino grew up going to church with his grandmother in Iowa, who pushed him to sing in the choir and perform in front of the congregation.

He once sung the national anthem in front of 2,200 people at a high school football game and doesn’t think the crowd of 17,500 will make him nervous.

“I’m more nervous about getting nervous,” he said.

Returning to the finished building fills Infantino with a sense of pride. He was there when it was a dirt pit. Now, he gets to see it as a Sacramento gem.

As for getting it right, he’s been practicing -- mainly in the shower.

"On a night as big as this, the Kings could have gone with just about anyone," Infantino said. "That they’re willing to give a local electrician a shot, speaks volumes."